On Wednesday, June 18, defense ministers from the Commonwealth of Independent States meet in Tbilisi, Georgia.

On Thursday, June 19, new French Prime Minister Lionel Jospin is expected to deliver his keynote policy speech to parliament.

On this day

In 1645, the English Civil War's Battle Of Naseby took place in Northamptonshire, with the Parliamentarians under Oliver Cromwell and Sir Thomas Fairfax victorious over the Royalists, led by Prince Rupert of the Palatinate.

In 1777, Congress adopted the "Stars and Stripes" as the official flag of the United States of America.

In 1789, English Admiral Captain Bligh and 18 others, cast adrift from H.M.S. Bounty, eventually reached Timor in the East Indies after a voyage of nearly 4,000 miles in an open boat.

In 1800, Napoleon defeated the Austrians at the Battle of Marengo, in northern Italy, during the War of the Second Coalition.

In 1922, President Warren G. Harding became the first U.S. president to broadcast by radio.

In 1940, the German army entered and occupied Paris.

In 1941, President Roosevelt ordered the freezing of all German and Italian assets in the U.S.

In 1962, the European Space Research Organization, later replaced by the European Space Agency, was established.

In 1966, the Vatican announced the abolition of the Index of prohibited books.

In 1971, the New York Times began publication of extracts from top-secret Pentagon papers on the Vietnam war.

In 1982, the Argentine Military Commander in the Falkland Islands signed a surrender document at Port Stanley.

In 1989, former U.S. president Ronald Reagan was made an honorary knight by Queen Elizabeth.

In 1993, President Suleyman Demirel asked Tansu Ciller to form a new government, giving Muslim but secular Turkey its first female prime minister.

Newslink

It was just in 1966 that the Vatican abolished the Index of prohibited books. Now, the Holy See is on the Web. See how far the church has progressed in 30 years by visiting the official Vatican home page.

Holidays and more

Malawi celebrates Freedom Day.

The Turks and Caicos Islands, British Virgin Islands and Solomon Islands celebrate the Queen's Birthday.